BARRON - Jake Patterson, accused of kidnapping Jayme Closs after murdering her parents, appeared in person Wednesday in Barron County Circuit Court. He waived his preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial.

Patterson, in orange Barron County Jail coveralls, responded to Circuit Judge James Babler's questions Wednesday with one-word answers. He said, "uh, yes" when the judge asked if he understood that he is charged with felonies, that he had a right to a hearing, and whether he still wanted to waive it.

Fidgeting slightly in his chair, he responded "no" when Babler asked if he wanted a preliminary hearing.

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Jake Patterson, 21, of Gordon, leaves the courtroom after his preliminary hearing Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, at Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Jake Patterson, 21, of Gordon, is escorted from the courtroom after his preliminary hearing Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, at Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Jake Patterson, 21, of Gordon, reacts as he walks into Barron County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Barron. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Jake Patterson, 21, of Gordon, appears for his preliminary hearing Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, at Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Reporters wait in the courtroom for Jake Patterson to appear for his preliminary hearing Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, at Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Relatives of Jayme Closs wait for Jake Patterson to appear for his preliminary hearing Wednesday in Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Court officers guard the door where Jake Patterson will enter for his preliminary hearing Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, at Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald checks the entrance where Jake Patterson will be escorted to his preliminary hearing Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, at Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Court officers whisper at the entrance where Jake Patterson will be escorted to his preliminary hearing Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, at Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Jake Patterson, 21, of Gordon, listens during his preliminary hearing Wednesday in Barron County Circuit Court. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Jake Patterson, 21, of Gordon, walks into Barron County Circuit Court for his preliminary hearing on Wednesday. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15. T'xer Zhon Kha, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Public defender Charles Glynn enters the court before for a court appearance by Jake Patterson Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Public defender Charles Glynn enters the court before for a court appearance by Jake Patterson Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright arrives for a court appearance by Jake Patterson Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Lynn Closs, aunt of Jayme Closs, arrives for a court appearance by Jake Patterson Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Sue Allard, Jayme Closs' aunt, arrives for a court appearance by Jake Patterson Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Lynn Closs, aunt of Jayme Closs, leaves following a court appearance by Jake Patterson Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Erik Patterson and his sister, Katie, siblings of Jake Patterson, leave following a court appearance by their brother Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A "Tree of Hope" for Jayme Class stills stands in the rotunda Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at the Barron County Justice Center in Barron, Wis. Jake Patterson is charged with the murders of Denise and James Closs and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, who escaped after 88-days being held captive. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Otherwise, the 21-year-old Patterson said little. A family member in the courtroom's front row said what sounded like "I love you" as sheriff's officials escorted him into the courtroom; Patterson nodded in response.

Babler set a March 27 date for Patterson to return to court for arraignment, and adjourned the hearing 3 minutes, 18 seconds after Patterson entered the courtroom.

It was the first time Patterson had appeared in person in the room. During his initial court hearing Jan. 14 he appeared via video from the county jail.

Nor did members of Patterson's family, nor more than a dozen relatives and supporters of Jayme Closs who attended. She has been staying with relatives since the day after she escaped Jan. 10 following 88 days in captivity, during which she said Patterson forced her to stay hidden beneath a bed and to keep quiet when he had visitors.

Reached by telephone later, Jayme's uncle Michael Closs said the family remains upbeat.

"The family is doing fine," said Michael Closs, the brother of Jayme's father, James. "Jayme is doing real well. We are really confident in the court system."

He declined to discuss specifics of Jayme's recovery, but family friend Michelle Saffert told CBS News this week that the teenager is spending time with loved ones, receiving therapy and is healing.

"I think that if she has to be with a group of people that will love her and support her for the rest of her life, she's in the perfect family to do that," Saffert said.

In a preliminary hearing, a judge determines if there is probable cause that a felony was committed, and whether there is adequate evidence that the crime might have been committed by the person who prosecutors charged.

It's not uncommon for a defendant to waive the preliminary hearing. By doing so, Patterson acknowledged that there is enough evidence for a case to go to trial without admitting guilt.

At arraignment, the charges against Patterson will be formally read in, based on a document prosecutors filed in court Wednesday. Patterson will enter a plea to those charges.

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Relatives of Jayme Closs wait for Jake Patterson to appear for his preliminary hearing Wednesday in Barron County Circuit Court in Barron, Wis. Patterson is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home on Oct. 15.(Photo: T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Patterson faces four charges, brought by Wright:

» Two counts of first-degree intentional homicide: He's accused of killing Jayme's 56-year-old father, James, and her mother, Denise, 46, with a 12-gauge shotgun on Oct. 15. Denise and Jayme had taken refuge in a bathroom after James Closs was mortally wounded by a blast fired through the front door.

» Kidnapping: Prosecutors say Patterson took 13-year-old Jayme from her house without her consent, then confined her against her will at his house, 70 miles north of Barron in rural Douglas County, for nearly three months.

» Armed burglary of the Closs house. A burglary is when a person illegally enters a building or other place intending to commit a felony.

Douglas County DA Mark Freuhauf announced Jan. 25 that he doesn't plan to file charges against Patterson in connection with Jayme's captivity in Gordon. But he said his office "retains the ability to charge Patterson at any time within the statute of limitations for any crime it determines Patterson has committed."

He said the decision was based on the existence of other charges — likely a sign prosecutors in Barron believe they have a strong case — and unspecified "victim-related concerns."

Patterson is being held in lieu of a $5 million cash bond in the Polk County Jail in Balsam Lake, 34 miles west of Barron.